Sun care should be part of daily routine with high UV in Norfolk and Suffolk
Experts are reminding us to protect our skin
Dermatologists are warning that we need to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, as Norfolk and Suffolk is set to bask in a July heatwave with temperatures forecast to rise this weekend.
We're also being warned about high levels of UV in the area.
Around 15% of us have admitted to never using sun protection.
Dr Justine Kluk is a consultant dermatologist tells us we should be including sun protection into our everyday routine: “UV rays can pass through clouds unfortunately, even if it doesn’t feel sunny or hot, we still need the protection.”
Dr Kluk also tells us about the long and short term effects of leaving our skin unprotected.
“The redness, peeling, flaking that a lot of us will have experienced is the short term. In the longer term, it increases our risk of skin cancer also increases our risk of skin ageing, wrinkles and dark spots. It can also aggravate certain skin conditions.
“I would look for a broad spectrum sunscreen, that means it should have a UVA logo on the bottle as well as an SPF number. We want an SPF of 30 or higher.”
UVA and UVB are both types of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and have been linked to skin cancer.
UVB is the main cause of sunburn, while UVA can cause premature skin ageing. UVB rays are blocked by glass, but UVA can penetrate that and clouds.
According to the UK Department of Environment and the MetOffice, UV levels rarely go above 7 on the Solar UV Index in the UK but last July and earlier in June this year, levels reached a record breaking 9 on the index. On a scale from one to 11, that is rare and "very high”.